Utah Hockey Club 101, presented by Trucordia Insurance.
SALT LAKE CITY – With the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season now well underway, fans have had an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the sport for several months. However, at times hockey can be somewhat of a confusing and complex game which requires more of an in-depth knowledge to fully understand.
As part of the hockey 101 series, the following is an explanation of high-sticking, why it’s a penalty, and what that means for both teams.
According to the NHL, high-sticking is a two-minute minor penalty when a player’s stick makes contact with any area of an opposing skater above the shoulders.
It’s important to note that it does not matter if a player had the intent to hit the opposing skater above the shoulders or not. If an official notices the stick makes contact with any area above the shoulders, it is always a penalty.
However, if the act of high-sticking is committed as part of a normal shot windup or follow through, it will not be considered a penalty.
High-sticking is a two-minute minor penalty. But If blood is drawn as a result of the high stick, it will then be considered a four-minute double minor penalty.
If a four-minute double minor is assessed, the penalties will be served as back-to-back two-minute minors. If the opposing team scores during the first minor, the initial two minutes will be erased, and the penalized player will remain in the box for the second two-minute minor.
However, if a goal is scoring during the second two-minute minor, the penalized player will then be released from the penalty box.
For more information and explanations of rules, fans can visit NHL.com.
The Utah Hockey Club will now travel to Buffalo for the first of a two-game Eastern road trip against the Sabres. The game can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
